Advantages: 0% for 12 months, loyalty points and bonus vouchers
Disadvantages: None

...Credit cards....Love them or loathe them, one thing is sure and that is that they are here to stay. Everybody who has a credit card has his/her own reason for having one - whether it be to get bonus loyalty points or cashback, transfer an existing debt and not pay interest for a set number of months, or simply to boost his/her credit rating. I am personally most attracted to cards which offer points or cashback incentives, but most credit cards nowadays not only offer these kind of benefits, but also excellent 0% deals on purchases and balance transfers, so you can hardly go wrong! The Marks & Spencer &More Credit Card is one such card. I decided to apply for one because there is a large Marks and Spencer store near to where I work that I use on a regular basis. It is a great place to buy sandwiches and snacks, and I often pop... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to use, fast, non-profit driven stance, honest recommendations, cracking credit cards!
Disadvantages: More articles please

...I first heard about UK Credit Card King while I was searching for a new credit card to transfer my current balance onto. I had been with Barclaycard for a number of years and was paying a pretty high APR on my card, so I decided to make the switch. I'd already looked on a number of websites - moneysupermarket, fool, and various credit card comparators, and found that all the recommended credit cards seemed to be identical, and all had balance transfer fees. As I had a balance of £1700, I did not want to have to pay a transfer fee, so that I could save the maximum amount of money possible. A work colleague suggested I visit the UK Credit Card King website (www.creditcardking.co.uk) , saying that they'd recently got such a deal from there, so I decided to check it out. The website appears to deal in one and only one subject - UK credit... Read review

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Advantages: Good rates, good sign up process, Internet facilities
Disadvantages: Only the same as other cards

...Don't be a banker... ...says the blurb. The credit craze of the 80's has had a new lease of life in the last three or four years and these days you can't turn a corner without getting offered all sorts of deals on credit cards. Me and Mrs D got well and truly stung twenty years ago in those bad old days and are now very much older (VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH) and wiser (well one of us is) and are never going to get caught out that way again. Anyway, the fact is that about a year ago I arranged a new credit card account through the Royal Bank of Scotland because it seemed to be the only way that I could arrange any form of flat rate internet access. I was with BT at that time and they insisted on having payment via credit card and when we switched to AOL they also insisted, so reluctantly I decided to get a card. When I contacted... Read review

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Advantages: good selection, fast,
Disadvantages: no cards for mum and stepdad

...Looking for a nice Christmas card for my grandparents, I found that they all said "Grandma and grandpa" or something similar. Well, my grandparents are Nanna and Grandad so I found this totally useless. I looked everywhere - Clinton Cards online, Sharpcards, Asda… nothing suitable. Then I came across EndlessCards.com, where I finally found my card. THE WEBSITE The website design is fairly simple but attractive. Currently the opening page has a picture of Santa, which you'd expect at this time of the year. The background is a peachy-beige colour and the navigation buttons are purple. FAQs QUALITY GUARANTEE - the cards are all checked before being sent out and packed to prevent damage in the post. However, Endlesscards tell you to contact them if your card doesn't arrive in pristine condition. Mine arrived with a card insert... Read review

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Advantages: Discount and bonuses
Disadvantages: APR

...Now I work for Debenhams, and have done now for a year and if there is one thing I have to do, it's to be able to process account cards. There have been some modifications to the old store card and a new MasterCard has been introduced, but I'm sure you will find all the information you need below! . THE APPLICATION. The application for a Debenhams card is pretty much the same as before, except now it is a dual application you are considered for a Debenhams store card and a Debenhams MasterCard (explained later on in DEBENHAMS MASTERCARD section). There is the written application, which I would not recommend doing as this takes alot of time and once you have filled in all the questions the member of staff has to relay all the information over the phone to someone in a call centre far far away..... I would however recommend doing... Read review

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Advantages: Secure purchasing on the Web
Disadvantages: Such a hassle trying to apply for it

...I'll be honest, I never for a moment considered opening any sort of an account with Cahoot. Their savings account only offers so-so interest rates, although that has actually improved since I applied for an account. I'm really not looking for another current account, certainly not in order to change from my existing bank. I definitely don't need another credit card, at least, not a standard credit card that is. On the face of it Cahoot had nothing to interest me. Until, that is, I read a small article on the Web. It was one of those regular articles that bemoan the insecurity of doing any sort of financial transaction online. Now, I don't know if you are like me but I must admit that buying things on the Web does fill me with a certain nervousness. Revealing details of bank accounts and credit cards, as you have to, is not something... Read review

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Advantages: Clubcard points
Disadvantages: Interest rate which kicks in if you don't pay the full balance monthly

...I chose a Tesco Clubcard Credit Card for the loyalty bonus it offers (below). I know most people understand how credit cards work, but I have many university educated, generally smart friends who have no idea, so humour me a little. ** The Basics ** The Tesco Clubcard Credit Card can be used to make purchases and withdraw cash all over the world. It comes with an interest free period of up to 46 days (depending on when in your payment-statement cycle the transaction takes place) although, in keeping with standard credit card arrangements there is NO interest free period for cash advances, and therefore these cost you an arm and a leg in interest. My card is a MasterCard so can be used anywhere where MasterCards are accepted (i.e. most places). The cards and now all chip-and-pin so you need to know your PIN before going shopping... Read review

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Advantages: Easy to register, high rewards
Disadvantages: Lose rewards if you forget your card

...Lots of supermarkets have loyalty cards these days and I probably have every one available. However I have found the Co-op Dividend Card to be the best and I give you the information as to why. What is a loyalty card? A loyalty card looks just like a credit card but without the power or danger of falling into debt. It will have your membership number printed on it and the logo of the relevant company on the front; some may even print your name. The back has a swipe strip and details about what to do if you lose your card (Has anyone ever thought that if you lose your card, you can't read the back of it to know what to do?) You hand over your loyalty card at the relevant shop when you make a purchase and the points/cash is added onto your card. Some shops send vouchers through the post at different intervals... Read review

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Advantages: fun, more personal than shop bought cards
Disadvantages: equipment can be expensive, time consuming

...Since I got Freeview I love watching the shopping channels (I don't know how sad that makes me!), and that's what first made me decide to get into card making. I was watching Ideal World one day when they had a craft hour on, and they were making the most beautiful cards. The only thing that put me off starting straight away was the price of some of the equipment needed - handmade papers, embossing kits etc. can be fairly expensive. It was a good six months later before I actually got around to making my first cards. I bought a card making kit from Ebay for about £4.50 including the postage, which included cards, envelopes, handmade paper, stickers and die-cuts among other things. Realising I didn't have any glue (doh!), the next day I headed to town to get some, and I don't know if it was because I had crafting on the brain, but I... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Lightweight, slim, beautiful design, great value for money
Disadvantages: possibly bend cards if stored for long periods of time (untested)

...I previously carried a small USB key on my keyring as my portable memory solution. But I found that more and more, I was having to transfer information from either a PDA or digital camera, and a USB key just didn't work for this. So I found the solution in the SanDisk SD Plus memory card - it is the size of a normal SD memory card, but also folds in half to reveal a USB adapter which can be plugged into any USB port. Brilliant solution, except that they aren't very sturdy. I was worried about the card breaking in my wallet, so I needed something to protect it. This is where the Aluminium Memory Card Holder from Proporta comes in. It is the same length and width as a standard credit card (85mm x 54mm), and is only 4mm thick (about as thick as 3 credit cards sitting on top of each other). It is very light as well, weighing... Read review

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